Sophie DuvernoyJapanese art superstar Takashi Murakami is at it again, with a new show at the Gagosian Gallery in London. While his last show for Gagosian centered around death and memento mori, Murakami has gone in a completely different direction this time, and focused on an ever-present theme: the sexual complexes of the Japanese male.
Married to that is an exploration of Murakami's own artistic complexes, including his reliance on traditional Japanese artistic culture (one piece pays explicit homage to turn-of-the-century painter Kuroda Seiki).
As you can expect from a Murakami show, the execution isn't exactly subtle. He's taken classical Japanese subjects, married them to anime culture and motifs from porn, and blown certain parts of them up until they can barely stand — like the above statue of a girl who appears bent over in pain (though really excited!) because of her massive breasts.
Murakami's show may be blatantly racy, but it's also utterly absurd (giant gold penis with a smiley face, anyone?). Theoretically, he's saved by the ironic edge of super-sizing fantasy. But does it work in practice? You decide: here are our four provocative pieces from the show:
4. Nothing but legs
© Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved; Credit: Muir Vidler/Courtesy of Gagosian Gallery
Murakami peeks up his sculpture's skirt.
3. Nurse KO is here to see you
Nurse KO, © Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd.; Credit: Mike Bruce/Courtesy of Gagosian Gallery
Should you fear her pointy syringe and glassy eyes, or does the overflowing, lacy bra make up for it all?
2. Why, hello there!
Installation view, © Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd.; Credit: Muir Vidler/Courtesy of Gagosian Gallery
Enough said.
1. Uh oh. Am I falling over?
Sure, she's got boobs. Just make sure you're strong enough to catch her.
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